Division of the Kingdoms. I Kings 12

 

I Kings 12. Division of the Kingdoms

 

Solomon had carried on a tremendous building program at great cost. Solomon had kept building and in order to do it, he had to increase the taxes. After his death the people asked for their taxes to be lowered. If Rehoboam had done that, the people would have followed him. Instead, he first turned to the wise men in the kingdom who had counseled Solomon his father. Their advice was good, but Rehoboam did not follow it. Then he asked the young men who had grown up with him what they would advise. They gave him advice, but it was foolish. Rehoboam heeded what the young men told him rather than what the wise older men said. “Instead of decreasing the taxes, he increased them. Instead of being less severe with the people, he became more severe.

This was the beginning of the division and Jeroboam becomes Israel’s king.

All Israel stoned Adoram. That is the way they got rid of the tax collector. And when Rehoboam heard what happened, he fled to Jerusalem.

Jeroboam put a golden calf in Beth-el and one in Dan. He put them there for the people to worship so that they would not go to Jerusalem to worship in the temple.

Rehoboam is the king of the Southern kingdom following the line of David. Jeroboam is the king of the northern kingdom.

There is a division and soon civil war was to break out. It will continue until the northern kingdom goes into captivity. And eventually the Southern kingdom will also go into captivity.

 

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